AI Preemption Battle Lands in Congress With Substantive Discussion Draft

Bipartisan bill would block states from regulating AI development for three years, reigniting a fight between states and the Trump administration

Georgina Mackie

Jun 4, 2026 — 4 min read

Photo of Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif.

WASHINGTON, June 4, 2026 - A leading House Republican and Democrat have floated a 269-page discussion draft for a sweeping artificial intelligence bill that would freeze state laws on the topic for three years, and also force the country's most powerful frontier labs to open up their models.

Mooted on Thursday by Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., and Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass., the draft, formally titled the Great American Artificial Intelligence Act of 2026, would allow states to retain the power to regulate the use of AI systems within their borders. But states would lose the ability to legislate on how those systems are built.

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